Only one in five Moroccans approve of US leadership in 2019

Unlike their African neighbors, Moroccans are more likely to disapprove than approve of the leadership of the United States, a Gallup survey reported.

Entitled «Rating World Leaders The US vs. Germany, China and Russia», the survey estimates that «as it has every year, regardless of who is at the helm in the U.S., the image of the U.S. remained strongest worldwide in Africa in 2019». «Bolstered by majority approval in 21 sub-Saharan African countries, median approval of U.S. leadership stood at 52% in 2019, unchanged from the previous year», the report added.

However, while «residents in most African countries are more likely to approve than disapprove of U.S. leadership», North Africans have a different opinion. «Only in Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Namibia and South Africa are residents more likely to disapprove than approve», the report added.

37% disapprove and 22% approve of the US leadership

A trend already raised in the past by Gallup, which recalls that countries «in North Africa do not share the affinity for U.S. leadership that their counterparts in most sub-Saharan African countries do, and this is typically where the U.S. gets its lowest ratings».

As a result, «one in three or fewer adults in Algeria (33%), Tunisia (24%), Morocco (22%) and Libya (20%) approved of U.S. leadership in 2019», the report said. In the case of Morocco, however, we note an increase of 6% compared to the previous year, as it is the case for Tunisia (+ 8%).

In details, 22% of Moroccan respondents approve of the American leadership, while 37% disapprove of it. 42% of respondents did not answer the question or refused to answer it, the report added.

Gallup also notes that in Africa, the influence of the United States (52% of respondents approving of the American leadership) remains «almost equal» to that of China, while that of Germany remains stable and that of Russia is gaining ground.

The Trump administration announced plans last year to counter the rapidly expanding Chinese influence in Africa. Moreover, Gallup had estimated, a year ago, that these efforts were «perhaps a little too late».